GB2264358A

GB2264358A - System for detecting position of impact of a projectile

Info

Publication number: GB2264358A
Application number: GB9203561A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Barrie Pegrum
Original assignee: SECTOR Ltd
Current assignee: SECTOR Ltd
Priority date: 1992-02-20
Filing date: 1992-02-20
Publication date: 1993-08-25
Also published as: GB9203561D0

Abstract

A system for detecting the position at which a projectile, especially a bullet, penetrates a screen comprises a detector e.g. thermal image camera for detecting a local increase in temperature caused by the friction generated at the point of impact. The screen may be flat or three-dimensional and formed from a layer of material such as paper, rubber, or a plastic material which can melt and re-seal the hole caused by impact. The output of the detector may be used to provide a visual indication of impact position on a monitor or on the target itself by means of a projected overlay. <IMAGE>

Description

SYSTEM FOR DETECTING POSITION OF IMPACT OF A PROJECTILE This invention relates to a system for identifying and preferably recording and/or remotely indicating the position of impact of a projectile against a target surface. The system of the invention is intended especially, but not necessarily exclusively, for firing ranges.

For the training and practice of marksmen and for ammunition and gun designers and suchlike, shots are fired at targets and screens. With known systems it is difficult to analyse the accuracy of the shots since it is dependent upon visual inspection of the targets or screen, or upon location of the position by audio analysis of the shock wave leading to an image on a computer screen, or by a video camera scanning the holes and transmitting its signal to a video monitor which can then be viewed.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a system for identifying the location at which a projectile, which might be a bullet, a pellet, a stone or suchlike, strikes a target area comprising a screen member defining the target area and a detection means capable of sensing temperature differences. The impact of the projectile, and if the projectile pierces the screen the friction generated in the screen material at the point of impact, causes the screen material at the point of impact and its immediate vicinity to rise in temperature. The position of impact of the projectile can be sensed by the detection means to provide an output permitting analysis of the impact position.

The screen member may comprise a layer of material, e.g. paper, plastic, plastic foam or rubber but it is preferable, though not essential, that the screen should seal after the projectile has passed through to avoid the necessity to undertake sealing of the hole thereafter. In order to reseal without recourse to physical means such as displacing separate layers, applying a separate patch etc., the material of the screen should preferably be elastic such as rubber or should be of a plastic type material, e.g. ethylene/acrylic material which can melt and reseal.

The detection means can conveniently be constituted by a suitable electronic device and most preferably a heat sensitive or thermal image camera. The heat generated on the screen would not be detectable by conventional glass lensed devices such as video cameras, whether filtered or not.

The detection means provides for the position of impact to be recorded and /or displayed, e.g. on a monitor, remote from the screen member, or projected via a projection device such as a video projector onto the screen member, such as in the form of a spot or cross of high intensity visible light superimposed over the actual impact position so as to highlight the position to observers.

Alternatively the position of impact may be inputted to a computer which may use the coordinates of the located projectile to output to a printer which will provide a printout of the location. If the screen is used as a surface onto which an image of for instance a target is projected, then the computer could output to the projector to display information such as to indicate a miss or a hit and, if instructed to do so, alter the visually projected image upon the screen.

The screen member may be flat for ease of projecting target images onto it, but this configuration is not essential and it can be curved to allow the screen to wrap around the projecting devices or it can take a three-dimensional form.

The detection device may be sited on either side of the target or screen.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A system for identifying the location at which a projectile strikes a target area, comprising a screen member defining the target area, and detection means for detecting a local temperature change of the screen member caused by impact of a projectile.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the screen member is penetrable by the projectile.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the screen member is so constructed that a penetration hole caused by a projectile closes after the projectile has passed through.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the screen member comprises an elastic material.

5. A system according to claim 3, wherein the screen member comprises a plastics material adapted to melt and then reseal for closing a penetration hole.

6. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the detecting means comprises a device positioned remotely from the screen member for detecting heat emitted therefrom.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein device is located to that side of the screen member against which projectile is intended to impact.

8. A system according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the detection device is a heat sensitive camera.

9. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, including means connected to the detection means for recording the position of impact of a projectile detected by the detection means.

10. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, including display means coupled to the detection means for displaying the position of impact of a projectile detected by the detection means at a location remote from the screen member.

11. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, including projection means coupled to the detection means for projecting onto the screen member a visible indication of the position of impact of a projectile detected by the detection means.

12. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein projector means are provided for projecting a visible target image onto the screen member and the detection means is coupled to the projector means via a computer for the projected target image to be altered in response to a projectile striking a target area.

13. A system for detecting the position of impact of a projectile, substantially as herein described.